The Types of Gum Grafts

Are you ready to say goodbye to gum recession and restore your healthy gums? Gum grafting is the recommended treatment for receded gums.

But did you know that there are many ways to perform gum grafting? Depending on the location of the recessed gum line and the thickness of your gum tissue, your periodontist in Oakville will select a certain type of gum graft.

In this article, you will learn about the different types of gum grafts and when they’re used. Let’s get started.

Recap: How is gum grafting performed?

Gum grafting is a surgical procedure that involves attaching healthy tissue to the site where your gums have receded and the roots of the teeth may be exposed. Before the oral surgery, your periodontist will examine the area of gum recession and see if your gum tissues are healthy.

Depending on your needs, your periodontist will harvest tissue from another part of your mouth or use donor tissue. Then, they will graft it to the treatment site to restore your healthy gum line.

Do I need a gum graft?

The short answer is yes. Without a gum graft, you will continue to experience common symptoms, such as sensitivity to hot and cold, discomfort, and the appearance of a “toothy” smile or bigger teeth. Even worse, harmful bacteria will continue to build up where the gums have receded, causing gum disease to progress and the roots of the teeth to be exposed.

To treat gum recession and prevent gum disease from worsening, your periodontist will recommend gum grafting. This restores receded gum tissue, and improves the health and appearance of your smile. For an experienced and highly skilled periodontist, it’s a fast and fairly simple procedure that successfully reverses gum recession and prevents gum disease.

Types of Gum Grafts

Gum grafting sounds like a straightforward procedure, so you may be wondering why it involves different types of gum grafts. The answer is, it all depends on where the gums have receded and whether or not you have enough healthy gum tissue surrounding the treatment area. If you don’t, your periodontist may choose to harvest the graft from another part of your mouth.

Here are the different types of gum grafts.

1. Connective tissue grafts

This is the most common type of gum graft. In this gum grafting procedure, your periodontist will create a small pouch in the existing gum tissue. Then, they will create a small flap incision on the roof of the mouth to reach connective tissue underneath.

Once they harvest the connective tissue, they will graft it onto the pouch, and close the incision on the roof of the mouth. Over the next few weeks, the graft will heal and grow over the receded gum line and exposed roots of the teeth. Because of this, connective tissue grafts are the most common types of gum grafts used to treat exposed roots when there isn’t enough healthy tissue surrounding the area.

2. Free soft tissue autogenous graft

Similar to connective tissue grafts, a free soft tissue autogenous graft uses a small pouch in the existing gum tissue. But the difference is, a soft tissue graft doesn’t require a flap in the roof of the mouth to access the connective tissue underneath. Instead, a free soft tissue graft uses the tissue on the roof of the mouth directly. Your periodontist will graft it onto the pouch. This approach is recommended if you have thin gums and need the extra tissue.

3. Double papilla subepithelial graft

To place a double subepithelial graft, your periodontist will create an incision on the healthy papilla on either side of the affected tooth, then slightly lift the papilla. Your periodontist will also make a flap incision on the roof of the mouth to harvest connective tissue underneath.

Then, they will graft the connective tissue beside the tooth, under the raised papilla. To complete gum grafting, they will connect the papilla on both sides of the tooth using a single suture to cover the exposed tooth root and bone.

This type of gum graft is recommended when the gums have receded to the point that there is no more gum tissue attached to the tooth root, but there is enough remaining healthy tissue around the surrounding teeth.

4. Pedicle graft

Your periodontist will recommend a pedicle graft when you have enough healthy gum tissue. This gum grafting technique starts with partially detaching gum tissue above or below the tooth. Then, your periodontist will stretch it over the exposed tooth root and suture it in place.

But, don’t worry—a pedicle graft doesn’t result in loss of gum tissue in the donor site, or a too-thin graft. Even if it involves pulling gum tissue over the treatment site, both the graft and donor site will heal and regain their density.

As you can see, there are different types of gum grafting techniques that can be used to ensure your dental implant has enough supportive gum tissue. In order to know which gum grafting technique is right for you, your implant dentist will need to evaluate your teeth, gums, and implant sites to make the best decision for your oral health needs.

Ask Your Oakville Periodontist About the Best Type of Gum Graft for Your Needs

Now that you know about the different types of gum grafts, it’s time to find out which is the best option for your unique gum recession condition and oral health needs. With multiple types of gum grafts available, it takes the right periodontist in Oakville to make sure that you’re getting the best, most long-lasting option based on the thickness of your existing gum tissue and overall oral health.

At Periodontal Associates, we know all about gum grafting—from diagnosing the degree of recession, to laying out the features of each type. Our team of periodontists in Oakville can help, starting with providing you with information about the different types of gum grafts and recommending the best one based on your unique needs. You can count on our periodontists to be transparent with you and available to answer all your questions, so you can proceed with your gum grafting procedure in Oakville worry-free.

Want to know more about the different types of gum grafts? Prepare for your gum grafting surgery in Oakville and make an informed decision about every step of your treatment. Talk to our Oakville periodontists today.